We are trading in the mini-van soon. Hubby has asked me to clean it out. Oh my, what a task. It reminded me of this post (below) I wrote a while ago. In honor of my mini-van that is about to be replaced, I am re-posting it. I am gunning for another mini-van, affectionately called a “swagger-wagon” in one of my favorite blogs, People I Want to Punch In the Throat. (DO NOT follow the blog link unless you are prepared for very bawdy language. Me, I can appreciate an f-bomb now and again, and she drops them plenty).
This is some of the throw-away I have collected. Much of what I have found I can keep!
My husband is forever on my ass (language necessary in this case) about my messy mini-van (don’t knock the mini-van, I love it). Never mind that letting someone sit in his truck means he has to move a mountain of paper that is stacked from floor to ceiling. Rolls of building plans litter every surface and stacks of paper sit all over the place. I have even seen pretzel bags and Coke bottles in there too.
But, he says, his is work. My retort – my mess is work too! My work thinks popcorn and goldfish are a type of confetti. And my work looks at juice squirting out of a juice box like it is an alien experience – a very cool alien experience (who designed those boxes anyway?). My work loves to take the toy of the moment with them every time they go somewhere, but by the time we get back the interest is lost and the toy stays where it is until I find it and say, Hey there’s the piece to that toy no one can play with because this is missing!
It’s not all toys and food in my car though. What Hubby doesn’t realize is what he might view as “trash” is really my arsenal of motherly preparedness. Those moldy sippy-cups can be washed and used in a thirst emergency. That jacket that was stripped and thrown on the floor last month becomes a spontaneous trip to the park when it is too cold to be without cover. Just last week, my daughter started coughing and ended up throwing up. I saw that gag coming and just so happen to have a full sized towel in my car to throw over her and catch her ick before it tainted yet another car seat.
My clutter is a real life-saver more times than I can count. I have had sand buckets left from a beach trip that come in really handy when there was a sand box at a park. Blankets, food (Goldfish never really go stale, do they?), yesterday’s drink becomes today’s “opps, I forgot your drink but here’s one that is only from yesterday,” and antsy kids – I have toys all over the place in there.
Once, I even found a change of clothes after the kids were playing in a mud puddle at the park. It was such a relief because I really needed to go to the grocery store on the way home.
Shoes – it’s usually covered. Socks, I have those too. Just about anything you can think of, I have it in my car. It’s my office, my helper, my get-away (I have chocolate in the console – it’s not all about the kids, you know).
My point? The next time you get in a woman’s car and see a mess, don’t judge us. What might be chaos to you is her saving grace in so many situations she can’t even count. It’s not her mess, it’s her space and it’s great.
Mom's Soul Cafe 
I LOVE it! I never looked at it that way before, but you are absolutely right!
Reblogged this on Mom's Soul Cafe.